This past spring, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) reported that emergency rooms across the United States were seeing a large drop in heart attack admissions. UAB Medicine also saw a decrease in cardiovascular event cases, due to patients’ fear of COVID-19. UAB Medicine responded by expanding its telehealth services and creating policies to protect patients and staff, so that it could safely provide cardiovascular care to those who need it.

There have been many milestone birthdays at UAB Medicine lately. Two years ago we marked the 50th anniversary of the very first transplant procedure at UAB, and just last year the entire enterprise celebrated its 50th birthday. Now, UAB Medicine’s distinguished pharmacy residency program is celebrating 50 years of service.

No specific diet regimen, like Keto or Whole 30, has been shown to make someone more or less susceptible to getting COVID-19. A well-balanced diet is best to help support one’s immune system.

The seasonal influenza vaccine will not interfere with the body’s ability to fight off COVID-19. Both the SARS-CoV-2 virus and influenza virus will be circulating in our communities this fall and winter. We strongly recommend that everyone 6 months of age and older (with rare exceptions) receive the influenza vaccine this fall. This is to prevent either acquiring the influenza virus or developing severe influenza, which may lead to hospitalizations, intensive care unit admissions, or death.

Studies have looked at the effect of temperature and humidity on survival of other respiratory viruses, like SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and influenza. Studies are ongoing to assess whether SARS-CoV-2 behaves similarly with respect to latitude, temperature, and humidity variation. 

It is recommended that you wash or scrub fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, preparing, or cooking. Do not wash fruits or vegetables with soap, detergents, or other disinfecting products. Washed fruits and vegetables should then be dried and stored separate from other raw or unwashed foods.

There are three types of UV light that come from the sun: UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C, with almost all the UV radiation that reaches the earth’s surface being UV-A or UV-B. UV-C is what can act as a disinfectant at medical facilities using sophisticated technology, operation systems, safety protocols, and expertise in this area. There is no evidence that sun exposure will kill the coronavirus. We continue to recommend sunscreen to protect oneself from the harmful effects of sun exposure on the skin.

Several studies have evaluated the use of hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19. Current best available evidence does not show clear benefit of hydroxychloroquine. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) treatment guidelines for COVID-19 recommend hydroxychloroquine use only in the context of a clinical trial.

If you were a close contact of someone who was diagnosed with COVID-19, it is recommended that you quarantine for 14 days from the last day of contact with that person. If you were around someone who was identified as a close contact of someone diagnosed with COVID-19, then you should monitor for any symptoms. You would not need to self-quarantine in this case, unless you develop symptoms or if the person identified as a close contact develops COVID-19.

Over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or NSAIDs may help alleviate fever and body aches related to COVID-19. Over-the-counter nasal decongestants and throat lozenges may help with symptoms of nasal congestion and sore throat. Before taking any over-the-counter medications, we recommend consulting with a health care provider.

Wearing a face covering helps prevent the spread of infectious respiratory droplets from one person to another. Cloth masks reduce the spread of droplets when the mask completely covers the nose and mouth. Alternative face coverings to cloth masks, like neck gaiters and bandanas, can help reduce the spread of respiratory droplets if worn correctly. People should avoid masks with exhalation valves on the front, as this releases unfiltered air, including respiratory droplets.

Cloth masks made of two layers of heavyweight cotton, especially those with a thicker and tighter weave, have been shown to be helpful in preventing the spread of respiratory droplets if worn correctly. Some masks have built-in pockets in which one may place a filter. Data on the use of additional filters is limited.